Germany: Head of the anti-torture agency steps down

last updated Sep 11, 2012

The head of the National Agency for the Prevention of Torture, Hansjoerg Geiger, resigned from his post due to a lack of financial and personnel resources. Geiger referred to the agency’s annual report which states that the capacities for undertaking regular visits to places of deprivation of liberty were absolutely insufficient. His successor is former justice secretary of state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rainer Dopp.

The National Agency for the Prevention of Torture is responsible for the examination of detention conditions, for the identification of problems and for making recommendations to the relevant authorities. It is also obligated to report to the parliaments and governments annually. The agency was set up under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.